A Disturbingly Helpful Hand
by NyxExIgne
Summary: Sherlock's getting messages and their actually quite helpful, cryptic but helpful. Until he tries to find out the person who sends the message. Then things start going badly.
1. Chapter 1

It didn't start until the morning I met John. I'd woken up and had sat down in front of my laptop with a cup of tea, having already taken my bag of blood for the morning, checking over my e-mails. I sifted through the usual ones but came across one that I didn't expect. I didn't recognise the sender so I was slightly apprehensive about what the e-mail entailed.

**_221B Baker Street _**

I quickly looked up the address and found that it was a two bedroom flat that was for rent. It was actually being rented by an old acquaintance of mine, Mrs Hudson. I decided to check it out.

It was while I was making my way to Baker Street that I ran into an old friend of mine, Mike Stamford. We chatted and he asked what I was up to and I mentioned going to look at the flat.

"I'm not exactly flat-mate material though" I mentioned.

"No, I wouldn't say you would be Sherlock" he chuckled before we said goodbye.

The flat was functional, the rent was reasonable and I knew I'd have no problems with Mrs Hudson. She even told me that she would feel much safer having me there than a normal human tenant since I'd be able to protect not only me but her as well. I decided to move my stuff in and search for a flat-mate latter. Once I'd moved my stuff in I made my way to St. Bartholomew's hospital, to see if I could work on anything there today.

It was while I was working in the lab that my phone went off signalling a message. I reached for it thinking it was Lestrade. I was surprised to see an unrecognised number.

**_A doctor may be just what you need. Great flat-mate potential. _**

That threw me off balance slightly but I put it to the back of my mind, probably a wrong number. Besides who would want a vampire for a flat-mate? Although the general human populace accepted vampires some were wary of us, scared of us and even hated us, I thought back to one of the times I'd been caught by some of the hate groups and shuddered. I turned back to my work in an attempt to distract myself.

What I didn't expect was too see Mike again so soon, never mind with anyone in tow. The man walked in with a limp, psychosomatic I observed. Army from the way he held himself, ex-army – otherwise he'd still be abroad fighting. He didn't ask for a chair, the leg must only get painful when he's consciously aware of it. Tan lines say he's just returned home.

I wondered why they were here but then I remembered mentioning the flat sharing idea to Mike. He must have thought this man, Dr John Watson he'd called him, would be able to live with me. From what I could see I thought he could too. I paused. A doctor brought to me by someone I'd mention flat-sharing with. Coincidence I thought but then again what were the odds.

"Is that it then" John said as I began too leave, I looked at him. "We've only just met and we're going to go look at a flat."

"Problem?" I asked confused.

"We don't know a thing about each other, I don't know where we're meeting, I don't even know your name."

"I know you're an army doctor and you've been invalided home from Afghanistan. You've got a brother who's worried about you, but you won't go to him for help because you don't approve of him, possibly because he's an alcoholic, more likely because he recently walked out on his wife. And I know that your therapist thinks your limp is psychosomatic, quite correctly, I'm afraid. That's enough to be going on with, don't you think? The name's Sherlock Holmes and the address is 221B Baker Street. Afternoon!" I called to him before leaving.

After I had left I began to doubt weather John would turn up or not but to my surprise he did, arriving just as I did. We said hello as I knocked on the door.

"A place like this must be expensive"

"Not really. I know the landlady, Mrs. Hudson. She owes me a favour. A few years back, her husband was sentenced to death in Florida. I was able to help out" I replied

"You stopped her husband from being executed?"

"Oh, no, I ensured it" I said smiling as Mrs Hudson answered the door and gave me a hug before showing us the flat. He seemed to like it which was good.

"There's another bedroom upstairs, if you'll be needing two bedrooms" Mrs Hudson said as she joined us in the lounge.

"Of course we'll be needing two bedrooms" John replied, slightly confused as to why she'd say something like that.

"Oh, don't worry. We get all sorts 'round here. Mrs. Turner next door's got married ones" she replied before walking off into the kitchen.

John looked round the room a bit, noticing all my boxes and mistaking them for junk before looking slightly embarrassed for doing so. He turns towards the mantle place.

"That's a skull" he says surprised.

"A friend of mine. When I say friend..." I reply. My phone goes off. The message is from Lestrade asking me to have a look at a crime scene. I tell Mrs Hudson that we'll take the flat before leaving the room. I stop on the stairs as my phone goes off again.

**_Take the good doctor with you_**

I pause and thought about it then turn back to the living room. He's sitting down on the chair now, resting his leg more than being actually fatigued I observe.

"You're a doctor. In fact, you're an army doctor" I say as I begin to pull on my gloves.

"Yes" he replies as he turns seeing I've come back.

"Any good?"

"Very good." He says, getting up to face me.

"Seen a lot of injuries, then? Violent deaths?" I ask, knowing I'm just stating the truth.

"Yes"

"Bit of trouble, too, I bet" I'm smiling slightly now.

"Of course, yes. Enough for a lifetime... far too much"

"Want to see some more?" I ask, knowing what his answer will be.

"Oh, God yes" I smile again.


	2. Chapter 2

It's in the cab to the crime scene that he asks me what I do. I tell him I'm a consulting detective and that when the police are out of their depth they ask me for help. He replies by saying that the police don't consult amateurs. I then begin to explain how I worked out that he was a veteran, that he has a wound from the war and that his sibling has a drinking problem just to prove that I was no amateur.

"That... was amazing"

"You think so?" I ask, slightly taken aback.

"Of course it was. It was extraordinary. It was quite extraordinary" He replied sincerely.

"That's not what people normally say"

"What do people normally say?"

"`Piss off`…" I say smiling and he laughs.

We eventually arrive at the address that Lestrade gave me. As we walk towards the house I ask John if I got anything wrong when I worked out the things about him. He told me that he and Harry (his sibling) don't get on, that they never had and that Clara and Harry had split up three months previous, were now getting a divorce and that Harry was a drinker. I was surprised I had got everything spot on, I told John so.

"Harry is short for Harriet"

Of course his sister! I always miss something in the beginning. We approach the police line Sergeant Sally Donovan calls over the radio to Lestrade saying `The freaks here`. John, hearing her say it, gives both Sally and I a look but says nothing. She then begins to ask who John was as we made our way towards the house that the crime scene was in. As we neared the door Anderson appeared.

"Ah, Anderson. Here we are again" I say as he approaches.

"It's a crime scene. I don't want it contaminated. Are we clear on that?" he replies.

"Quite clear. And is your wife away for long?"

"Oh, don't pretend you worked that out. Somebody told you that"

"Your deodorant told me that"

"My deodorant?"

"It's for men"

"Well, of course it's for men - I'm wearing it" he said, slightly confused.

"So's Sergeant Donovan. Ooh... I think it just vaporised. May I go in?"

"Now look, whatever you're imply..." he began angrily.

"I'm not implying anything. I'm sure Sally came round for a nice little chat, and just happened to stay over. And I assume she scrubbed your floor, going by the state of her knees" I replied before sweeping past them and into the house, John following.

We came across Lestrade and made our way up to the crime scene. The woman was lying face down in the middle of the room. She was wearing a pink coat, she had pink nails, chipped on the left hand which was lying next to scratches on the floor that read `Rache`, she obviously scratched it there before she died.

Lestrade told me that she had swallowed a pill, suicide he was saying. It wasn't, not when the other's that died had done so in the same way – self administered poison, made to look like suicide.

"She was German. Rache. Means revenge, she could be trying to..." Anderson began as he had appeared at the door.

"Yes thank you for your input" I said as I walked over and slammed the door in his face.

I asked John how he thought she'd died. He turned to look at Lestrade and he nodded. John then began to work, looking over the body. He told us she had died of asphyxiation, probably choked on her own vomit, he said.

I began moving around the body again, taking my phone from my pocket to get the information in need from the internet. I was trying to get all the facts, my mind moving quickly, running through all the possibilities from my observations and coming to the most logical of each. I stop moving and turn towards Lestrade.

"Shut up" I command.

"I didn't say anything" he replies, confused and shocked.

"You were thinking. It's annoying" I replied absently, not paying much attention to him now my mind was working again.

Lestrade finally asks me what I think has happened to her, what my theories are, what I've been able to observe. I begin moving around the body again, pointing ach thing out as I say it.

"Her coat is slightly damp; she's been in heavy rain in the last few hours. No rain anywhere in London in that time. Under her coat collar is damp too; she's turned it up against the wind. She's got an umbrella in her left-hand pocket, but it's dry and unused: no just wind, strong wind, too strong to use her umbrella. We know from her suitcase that she was intending to stay overnight, so she must have come a decent distance, but not more than two or three hours because her coat still hasn't dried. So, where has there been heavy rain and strong wind within the radius of that travel time? Cardiff"

When Lestrade told me there was no case – there was one, evident from the mud splashes up the back of her leg – I knew then that the killer, serial killer I corrected myself, had made a mistake and I left the crime scene quickly in search of Jennifer Wilson's case was.

* * *

><p>We're sitting in Angelo's restaurant. Angelo was telling John how I'd saved him from going to jail, I reminded him he did go to jail but for robbery and not the murder that he was thought to have commited. He disappeared and returned with a small candle for the table, John protesting that he wasn't my date.<p>

We were here because I was trying to lure the killer out. I was sitting watching 22 Northumberland Street I told John to order, I was too busy watching the house to eat but I was also thinking about my mystery texter.

I couldn't, for the life of me figure out who was sending me messages. Mycroft wouldn't be hiding the fact that he was helping me, he would outright come talk to me face to face. I thought about how I could find out who it was. If I could trace the number and e-mail then I'd find them. I don't have the means though. Of course! Shawn! He'll be able to help. I'll go see him once this case is over.

"People don't have arch enemies." He said after a while, taking a bite of his food.

What? Arch enemy? Oh, right. Mycroft. Damn him for kidnapping John. He couldn't even wait a day at least; no, he had to take him hours after we'd met. He can't let me have anything without sticking his insufferable nose in. I glanced at John; he looked like he was waiting for me to say something.

"I'm sorry?"

"In real life. There are no arch enemies in real life. Doesn't happen" he replied.

Oh, you don't know Mycroft, I thought bitterly.

"Doesn't it? Sounds a bit dull" I replied.

I look back out the window while John takes another bite of his food. It smells nice. He'd given me a look when I didn't order. I focused on the people on the street again, looking closely at them as they walk past. None of them seemed to be who I was looking for. Surely they'd turn up, I'd sent the text, they'd want to come, even just out of curiosity.

"So who did I meet?"

Ahh, curiosity John, that's good, I like that. Doesn't mean I'm going to tell you who he is though. Its bad enough he kidnapped you never mind you knowing who he is. You don't need to know. I make sure to keep the same disinterested look on my face however; I don't want him to see my emotions running riot within me.

"What do real people have then? In their real lives" I reply, redirecting the conversation away from Mycroft.

"Friends, people they like, people they don't like. Girlfriends, boyfriends" he replies, not commenting on the subject change.

"Well, like I was saying; dull." I reply before we lapse into silence for a few moments.

"So you don't have a girlfriend then?"

I blink. Why is he asking me this? I suppose he's trying to get to know me since he knows that I know about him. But why go straight for my relationship status? Why not family or friends or my likes and dislikes?

"Girlfriend, no. Not really my area." I reply, trying to look out of the window, hoping he'll drop the subject.

"Oh" he says, slightly taken aback. "Oh right! Do you have a boyfriend then?" He pauses. "Which is fine by the way."

"I know its fine." I reply quickly.

He looks at me and we lapse into silence again. I look at him from the corner of my eye in the dim light, not that that hinders me in the slightest. My eyesight is sharp and clear regardless of the light, as is my hearing in the loudest din, my sense of smell and taste too is much better than an ordinary human, I can identify many more scents and tastes much quicker and easier. Then of course there's my sense of touch, I can feel the pressure of the air around me, I can feel when it changes with people moving, I can feel other people's body heat radiating out from them, but most of all I can feel, hear and smell their blood pumping around their bodies.

I feel the familiar burn in my throat and realise I was hungry, I thought of the last time I fed, hours ago. I really should have fed at some point, probably before coming back out the house again I think to myself. How could I have been so stupid? I'll just have to resist until I get home. I look back out the window, trying to drown everyone out, trying to drown out the sound of their blood pumping and their scents filling the small, enclosed warm room.

"So you've got a boyfriend?"

"No." I reply turning back to the window.

"Right. Okay. You're unattached. Just like me. Right. Good." He says it in a weird way, it makes me pause and look at him again. I realise I've begun speaking before I know what I'm saying.

"John, I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work, and while I'm flattered by your interest, I'm really not looking for..."

"No, no, I'm not asking..." He replies quickly. "No" saying it slowly, struggling for the right words. "I'm just saying" He pauses. "It's all fine." He finishes and I feel the awkwardness between us.

"Good. Thank you." I say, trying to dispel some of the tension. I notice a cab pull up in front of 22 Northumberland Street. It sits there, that must be him. I stand and John follows and the chase begins.


	3. Chapter 3

We chase the cab down and across the city, running down streets and back streets, even jumping from rooftops at one point only to find that the man in the cab had just arrived from California only a few hours ago. Dejected we made our way back to Baker Street. Only to find it being ransacked.

"You can't just break into my flat" I say moving towards Lestrade.

"And you can't withhold evidence. And I didn't break in to your flat" he replies.

"Well what do you call this then?" Gesturing to all the people in the flat

"...It's a drugs bust"

"Seriously. This guy, a junkie? Have you met him?" John interrupts.

"John" The warning clear in my voice

"I'm pretty sure you could search this flat all day and you wouldn't find anything that you could call recreational" he continues regardless.

"John, you might want to shut up now" I move so that I'm inches away from him, my voice dropping lower.

"Yeah, but come on... no..." shock slowly covers his face.

"What?" I ask

"...You?"

"Shut up. I'm not your sniffer dog" I reply.

"No, Anderson's my sniffer dog" Lestrade says.

"What A-. Anderson? What are you doing here on a drugs bust?" I say turning to Lestrade who tilts his head towards the kitchen to where Anderson stood.

"Oh I volunteered" he said smugly.

"They all did. They're not strictly speaking `on` the drug squad, but they're very keen" Lestrade says, trying to divert my attention from Anderson.

"Are these human eyes?" Sally asks voice tinged with disgust and shock.

"Put those back" I order.

"But they were in the microwave" she replies, confused but still disgusted.

"It's an experiment"

It's while Lestrade is talking and the `drug squad` tear up the flat that my mind begins to work again. I try explaining what I'm thinking to Lestrade and the others. Mrs Hudson calls up the stairs, telling me that my cab is here. Cab? I didn't call for a cab. My brain goes into over drive again, I'm dimly aware that my phone goes off.

**_If you want answers get in the cab._**

And so I do, I move past everyone and leave. The cabbie is standing outside his cab.

"Cab for Mr Holmes"

"I didn't call for a cab"

"Maybe so but this one will take you where you want to go" he replied before getting in. I followed quickly and we drove off.

* * *

><p>We eventually end up at a building and he tells me to get out. When I refuse he pulls a gun, cigarette lighter actually, on me and tells me to get out, so I do but only because I want answers, not because he could singe me.<p>

So now I'm sitting in a room with the cabbie, two bottles on the table, each containing just one pill. The cabbie tells me that there's one good pill and one bad. That I pick the good one and take it and he takes the other one and we see who of the two of us is the greater mind.

He's miscalculated though. He hasn't factored in a vital piece of information. I can smell that both pills are poisoned. He doesn't know that I'm a vampire. A very stupid miscalculation on his part considering he knows vampires exist, considering he's been able to out smart the police easily. Therefore, I play his game, drawing it out to get the information I need.

The time, however, comes and we both pick up our pills and raise them to our mouths. I am so consumed in the moment that I do not hear the shot. I jump, dropping my pill to the floor. The cabbie is lying on the floor, bleeding out quickly. The blood that should bother me so, that should be enticing me goes unnoticed as I lean over the cabbie and demand he tells me his sponsor's name.

"Moriarty" he yells before his heart stops completely.

I'm sitting in the back of an ambulance, an orange blanket over my shoulders. Everytime I try to remove it they put it back on me. My phone goes off and I pull it out.

**_Well done, Mr Holmes. _**

**_Who __are __you? _**I reply, having had enough of these messages.

**_All in good time Mr Holmes. _**

I growled in frustration. I notice Lestrade talking to Donovan before he begins to walk towards me.

"Why have I got this blanket? They keep putting this blanket on me"

"Yeah, it's for shock" he replies.

"I'm not in shock"

"Yeah, but some of the guys want to take photographs" he chuckles.

I sigh and look around me. The surrounding area had been cordon off with police tape, police cars and a couple of ambulances taking up most of the space within and around the police line. People were milling about, some looking like they knew what they were doing and others didn't.

"No sign of the shooter?" I ask.

"Cleared off before we got here. But a guy like that would have had enemies I suppose. One of them might have been following him, but we've got nothing to go on"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that"

"Ok, give me" he says, interested now.

"The bullet you just dug out of the wall is from a handgun. A shot like that over that distance you're looking for a crack shot but not just a marksman, his hands mustn't have shaken at all. He didn't fire until I was in danger so obviously has a strong moral principle. You're looking for someone with a history of military service and nerves of steel-" I stop suddenly as I spot John standing on the other side of the police tape line. "Actually, you know what? Ignore me"

"What?" he says clearly confused now.

"Ignore all of that, it's just the shock talking" I say trying to get him to believe me. He looks at me like he doesn't believe me. "Look, I'm in shock. I've got a blanket" I say before I walk away towards John.

"Sergeant Donovan was just explaining everything. Two pills. It's a dreadful business, isn't it? Just dreadful"

"Good shot" I say quietly to him.

"Yes, yes must've been over that distance" he replies, playing dumb and begins to walk away.

"You'd know. Need to get the powder burns out of your hands. I don't suppose you'd serve time for this but let's avoid the court case. Are you alright?" I say following him.

"Yes, of course I'm alright"

"Well you have just killed a man"

"Yes I know" he agrees then pauses. "Yes that's true isn't it? But he wasn't a very nice man." He said smiling.

"No... No, he wasn't really, was he?" I agreed, smiling too.

"No, frankly, a bloody awful cabbie"

"That's true, he was a bad cabbie. You should've seen the route he took us to get here" We both began laughing as we continued to walk away from the building.

We don't get very far however as we end up running into Mycroft. We exchanged a few tense words before he mentions that my actions upset mummy. John asks who `mummy` is and I explain that she is my mother, our mother - Mycroft and I. Having had enough of Mycroft I began walking away, John beginning to follow but stops, turning back to face Mycroft, mentioning something from when Mycroft `kidnapped` him before walking to catch up with me.

"Try not to start a war before I get home - you know what it does to the traffic" I call back to him as John and I walk off. We catch a cab home and when we get in I collapse into the living room while John moves to the kitchen to make us a cup of tea.

But I couldn't relax for long before my mind was set racing again as my phone beeps. I slipped my phone out my pocket and read the screen. It's time to go see Shawn.

**_Good night, Mr Holmes. Sleep well. _**


	4. Chapter 4

I was up early the next morning. Dressed and ready to go before John, who rose early every morning, was even awake yet. When he did come down I'd made him tea and toast. He looked at me like he couldn't believe it.

"Where's your breakfast?" he asked noticing I had nothing in front of me. "Are you always up this early?"

"I've already had mine" I said with a smile. "No, I'm not usually up this early but we've got a lot to do today and I was a little impatient to start, I'm afraid" John just nodded then began eating.

"Can I ask a question?"

"I believe you just did" I smiled, he just groaned and I nodded my head for him to continue.

"Why did Sally call you a freak yesterday?"

"Two reasons really" I began. "First off because of my deductions. She doesn't like that I can see everything about her, she feels like it's an invasion of her privacy. It is of course but I can't help seeing it, I do however choose what to and not to say" I grin slightly. "Secondly, because I'm a vampire" I say before pausing to gauge his reaction.

"I suppose being a vampire really helps you" he smiles.

"You don't mind?" I ask surprised. "I mean, it doesn't bother you?"

"No, not at all" he shakes his head. "Besides, I'm a doctor, I know why you are the way you are. It's scientific, logical not magical" he smiles and I return the smile.

Of course he would understand. Humans have an estimated 30,000 different proteins, of which only about 2 percent have been adequately described. John, being a doctor, knows that. Proteins transmit all hereditary characteristics in the form of genes. Proteins are composed of units of about 20 different amino acids. The `vampiric gene`, as scientists had now dubbed it, usually went unnoticed within the body. It is only when the proteins within it combines with its counterpart proteins, in which the amino acid formation is just right, that it then causes vampirism, whether it through reproduction or through changing the vampire's mate.

The `vampire` gene is dormant and once it is "switched on" it can survive five generations (passed down through the genes). Once it hits the fifth generation it becomes dormant again, as the proteins have now become changed, the amino acid formations have began to alter slightly, causing the protein to change and the gene to "switch off" becoming dormant again. The following generations become carriers of the dormant gene until it appears again, when the amino acids form in the right order and the process begins again.

As a doctor he also knows that a vampire's blood will help heal a human because of the protein in their blood; it helps to repair any damage done, it repairs at a much quicker rate than normal humans, minutes and hours rather than days and weeks.

"You said we've got a lot to do today" John remarked as he stood to clear his plate and cup.

"Yes. I've to go see Lestrade about my statement for last night then I want to go see a friend of mine. I'd like you to come with me" He nodded.

"A friend of yours?"

"Yes, you'll meet him later" I smiled.

* * *

><p>The cab pulled up in front of the technological and computer studies part of the university campus. As we stepped out, John gave me a look. We made our way through the building. I knew exactly where he was so it didn't take long for me to find the computer lab that Shawn was in.<p>

"Hello, Shawn" His head snapped up at the mention of his name, he hadn't raised his head when we walked in as he'd been too engrossed in his work.

"Sherlock Holmes" he said, his voice having still retained its American accent after two years in Britain, before chuckling disbelievingly. "I didn't expect you. What can I do for you?" His gazed wandered over to my left where John stood.

"Shawn Blake meet Dr John Watson, my colleague" I said indicating towards John, Shawn inclined his head in his direction. "I need you help tracing someone"

"I would have thought you'd be able to do that yourself" he chuckled.

"Well, I actually need you to trace a number and an e-mail address. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"I should be able to" he nodded. "Is it for a case?"

"Actually no, they seem intent on sending me messages but they refuse to tell me who they are"

"Alright, let's get started then"

I moved over to him and watched as he opened up a programme. I gave him the number and the address when he asked for it and we watched as the programme ran a check for them. My phone goes off and I pull it out of my pocket, both John and Shawn watching.

**_Tut Tut. Trying to find me is a bad idea. Stop looking._**

"Keep searching, okay. Don't stop searching" I tell Shawn forcefully. A few seconds later my phone goes off again.

**_What happens next you caused, remember that. _**

"Damn" Shawn cursed before he began typing furiously on the keyboard. He sighed and turned slowly to face me. "I'm sorry Sherlock. I lost the signal" The computer beeped and Shawn turned back to it. "The e-mail leads to a paper trail, there's no way to get through it all to figure it all" he said turning back.

"That's okay" I replied. "You tried"

We decided to leave so John and I said goodbye and made our way out the building. Once on the street we caught a cab and made our way back to Baker Street.

* * *

><p>I'd had a surprisingly good sleep that night, and looking back in hindsight I should have saw that as a clue. I descended the stairs in the late morning, John wasn't there. I assumed that he'd gone to the shop or was still sleeping. It was about an hour later, once I'd had a cup of tea, had a shower and dress and had checked my e-mails that I began to worry slightly. It shouldn't be taken John this long if he was out. I looked at the time; he really should be up by now.<p>

I decided to go see if John was still in bed. I reached his door and knocked when there was no answer so I knocked again and again there was no answer. I slowly opened the door and looked in. My blood ran cold.

John's room was a mess, considering he was ex-army that was wrong. His mattress was hanging off the bed with his covers thrown across the floor. It look like there had been a struggle.

I ran out the room and down the two flights of stairs to Mrs Hudson's front door and knocked quickly.

"Yes dear?" she said as she opened the door.

"Did John go out this morning?"

"No, I don't think he did, why?"

"No reason" I called as I ran back up the stairs, not wanting to worry her. I'd already pulled my phone out my pocket and had begun dialling Lestrade, telling him to come immediately when he answered.

The flat was full but I found it was empty. Lestrade's people were crammed in the living room, tracing equipment set up on the tables, tracing john and my phone and my e-mail. It had been four hours since I'd noticed he was gone and God knows how much longer.

When Lestrade arrived he'd tried to figure out the most likely place john could have went, making sure that he wasn't missing but just out. When he finally realised that he'd been taken he called in as many people as he could as quick as he could. They began to run through the most likely reasons why he's been taken. They rattled on and on and I ended up throwing my phone at them, telling them to read the messages.

Lestrade froze then demanded why I hadn't alerted him sooner about the random texting. Ignoring him I told him not to trace it because that was what I'd done and for a while he didn't until they were running out of leads. They've been running the trace for ten minutes now and still nothing.

Then something beeped.

**_Tracing again? I would have thought you'd have told Lestrade not to. You think you would have learned the first time. I'm afraid the good doctor isn't going to benefit from this. _**

I growled loudly and punched the wall, not even bothering to hold back my strength or my speed in crossing the room. I pulled m hand back and turned to face Lestrade, who'd now become very pale and had to resort to sitting down. He looked up at me and I gave him a look saying `I told you not too` and he looked away, guiltily.

Another beep and a tech guy said it was an e-mail with an attachment. He opened it up and clicked the link. A video screen popped up. In the middle of the screen sat John, tied to a chair, his head was bowed and a light was shinning on him, the rest of the room was dark.

A message box appeared at the bottom of the video screen. The atmosphere became tense, no one moved and I could swear that they'd all held their breath. After a few minutes words began to appear in the box.

**_Now you know what I can do. Now you know what I'm capable of. Remember it then next time I tell you not to do anything. If you don't I'm not only going to hurt Dr Watson but Mrs Hudson, DI Lestrade and his little pets Donovan and Anderson. _**

"What?" the latter three exclaimed in unison.

"We'll get this guy befo-" Lestrade stopped suddenly. On the screen John was now convulsing and screaming in pain.

**_I wouldn't recommend that. I'm serious, I will hurt him and if you persist I will continue until the poor doctor's heart gives out. Don't think that will stop me though, I will go out and find his replacement. _**

"He's bluffing" Anderson said loudly but before anyone could say anything else John was screaming again, louder and more painful than before. I flinched.

_**I am not bluffing.** **Promise me that you'll leave me alone, that you'll stop trying to find me I'll leave you alone. **_

"No" Lestrade whispered and he paled even more when John began screaming again, worse than both previous times.

"Fine!" I roared and John stopped screaming, his head lolling forward, his breathing heavy.

**_Good! Now come and get him. Follow his GPS signal. _**

Lestrade began braking orders and his men began moving quickly. I stood back watching as they traced the GPS signal, the others getting ready to go get John. Lestrade was briefing his men about being careful, about organising swat teams in case of a trap.

I turned back to the screen showing John. I saw someone dressed completely in black walk over to john and inject him with something before they walked away.

**_Oh and Sherlock, you might want to tell them to hurry up, Dr Watson doesn't have very long. _**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Sorry this took so long, it's kindda on the short side too, sorry :/ I Got swapped down with college work, I also hit writter block. Hope you enjoy it and I'll try and get back to writting as soon as I can :) **_

* * *

><p>Lestrade's team had been able to trace John's GPS to an abandoned warehouse a few miles away in an industrial area. I rushed out of the flat before Lestrade could stop me. I ran towards the warehouse but the closer I got the more it seemed like time began to slow down. My mind began thinking the worst, constructing elaborate situations where the outcome was getting worse and worse.<p>

By the time I reached the warehouse I was going out of my mind, fearing the absolute worst. The warehouse itself was dull and quiet. I manoeuvred through the building quickly, listening intently, feeling for any changes in the air, smelling the air to find John quicker.

I moved through an open door and entered a large open area; there was a small amount of light filtering in through a dirty skylight into the middle of the room. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the room.

John was still tied to the chair in the middle of the room. His head was bowed over, he seemed to be unconscious. I rushed over to him and knelt in front of him: my hands moving to gently lift his head up so it was level with mine.

At first he didn't respond but after a few moments he began to come around slowly. Hope surged through me as he became more aware and held his own head up without my assistance. I began to look him over. He appeared to be unscathed I listened to his heart and was worried by how slow it was. I remembered that he's been injected and tried to detect what it was through smell but I couldn't identify it.

"Sherlock" John's small voice reached my ears, his voice was rough.

"I'm here John, it's okay now" I soothed but he began shaking his head.

"It's not, he's not finished yet" he croaked. "He said he'd be in touch soon"

"Let's not think about this now, let's get you untied and out of here" I soothed as I moved behind and quickly untied him.

It would take too long to wait for Lestrade and the paramedics, taking him to the nearest hospital would be the quickest option. I could feel John get weaker by the minute. I pulled my phone out.

_**I need help – SH.** _

With the text sent I picked John up carefully and began running, John's heart slowly beating the constant reminder that I was losing him.

* * *

><p>I reached the hospital and moved quickly through A&amp;E shouting `Help`. Nurses and crash teams ran forward and I told them to do a blood test quickly telling them that he'd been injected with something. They only let me go so far before barring my way. I retreated back to the hallway and dropped myself wearily into a plastic chair, hanging my head in my hands.<p>

"He'll be fine Sherlock"

My head snapped up and I saw my brother standing there. His immaculate navy blue three piece suit, red tie and tidy hair contradicted his worried tone and face, his ever present red umbrella forgotten in his hand. His attention was fully focused on me, eyes moving quickly to take in as much information as possible, piece everything together that he could.

"Rush his blood test" I whispered knowing that he'd hear me. I couldn't bring myself to put any volume in my voice.

"Already taken care of" he replied as he moved to sit next to me. "I'll do everything possible to make sure he's fine" I could only nod and we slip into silence.

"Excuse me?" I look up and see a nurse standing there. "Your friend is stable but we're keeping him in for observations. We've moved him to a private room. You can go sit with him" she said indicting for us to follow.

He looked pale, small and vulnerable. I moved to his side, Mycroft following swiftly to the other side of his bed. The constant, steady beep of the monitor he was connected to did nothing to relax me.

"Listen to his heart, Sherlock. It's beating strong" I nodded. He stood up and moved beside me placing his hand on my shoulder. "He's going to make it" he finished before leaving the room.

* * *

><p>It was a good three or four hours before he woke up. I hadn't moved from the chair beside his bed. Nurses would come and go, they'd try to talk to me but my attention was fully focused on John.<p>

"Sherlock?" His voice was barley a whisper.

"I'm here, John" I moved forward in my chair and held his hand. "You're going to be fine, I promise" I replied quietly.

"I'm okay" his voice was raspy. "They just hit me a couple of times and knocked me out" he looked me in the eye. "It was a scare tactic that was all" he smiled weakly; still groggy from the sleeping drugs he was given. The door opened and a woman walked in.

"John?" she asked tentatively. Seeing John was awake she moved over to the free side of his bed. "John, thank God you're okay. I was so worried"

"Sarah" he smiled weakly again. "Yeah, I'm fine"

"What happened, I was here talking to an old friend and then I see you being rushed past on a gurney" John chuckled and tried to sit up.

"It was nothing" he replied, completely absorbed in her. I began moving towards the door quietly but quickly, neither of them noticing I was moving, neither noticing I was gone.

* * *

><p>I got home and found that Lestrade had left me some work. It was a picture of a wall with graffiti; it looked like Chinese writing sprayed on the wall with yellow paint. There were two lots of boxes full of books in the apartment too. Apparently he'd figured out that the picture was a cipher and that the code would be in one of the books from the victims' house. I'll give him credit for that; he's smart when he wants to be.<p>

I got stuck into it as soon as I'd got back from the hospital. I'd been working for a while before I felt the familiar burn in my throat and went in search of a blood bag. Having fed I returned to work, losing myself in the puzzle for another few hours.

I was brought out of my thinking when I heard the front door close. I already knew it was John but someone was with him, I could smell both of them, hear them talking as the ascended the stairs but I couldn't figure out who he was with. I looked up and saw her, Sarah, with him. The whole reason I'd left him in the first place.

"What the hell, Sherlock?" John asked as he moved round the book boxes to find me at the desk, the picture in front of me again.

"Lestrade left me some work" I replied, not even turning to face him.

"Well your home safe now, I should probably go now then"

"No, no" John said quickly, I could hear his heartbeat quicken as he moved towards her. "Why don't you stay for dinner?"

"Em, well, okay then" she replied. I heard John say `Great` before moving into the kitchen and rummaging through the cupboards.

I hear footsteps move towards me. She stops behind me and I feel the air move as she leans over me to see what I'm doing.

"So it's a cipher" She asks, I nod and say `Yes`, annoyed now. "And each two numbers is a word?

"How did you know that?" I say quickly, my head whippy round to face her.

"Two words have already been translated." She points to the photo.

I jump up, grabbing the photo and my coat and run out of the flat . . . and straight into the German couple. Then it all starts clicking, something everyone would have. I look back at the couple and sprint after them, taking the A-Z of London off them and looking up the first numbers, they fit, so I continue to do the whole photo. Brilliant, now to tell John and I take off back in the direction of the house.

He's gone and so is she. There's been a struggle. I start thinking about where they could have been taken, it doesn't take long. I have to find John quick, twice in one day he's been kidnapped and God knows what theses ones will do to him.

* * *

><p><strong>Like I said, sorry it's so short. Not as good as the other chapters but I'm getting there. Read and Review please, I really like hearing back for readers. Also, hope you all had a good Christmas and have a Happy New Year :D <strong>


End file.
